The present invention is directed to pressure sensors and method for manufacturing pressure sensors, and more particularly to thin piezo resistive pressure sensors and methods for manufacturing thin piezo resistive pressure sensors.
Piezo resistive sensors are widely used to sense the pressure of various mediums. Small or miniature piezo resistive pressure sensors are often mounted on a guide wire or catheter such that the pressure sensor can be inserted into small volumes to measure the pressure of fluids inside the volume. For example, a guide wire or catheter with a piezo resistive pressure sensor mounted thereon can be inserted into biological flow paths, such as arteries and vessels, and are particularly used in coronary arteries during angioplasty procedures.
There is an increasing need to advance guide wires and catheters into smaller vessels, and a corresponding need for smaller pressure sensors. As the size of pressure sensors are reduced, many existing manufacturing techniques fail to produce pressure sensors having the desired sensitivity and robustness. Accordingly, there is a need for a thin, low profile and robust pressure sensor with a small width.